Nustar Resort and Casino (stylized as NUSTAR) is a

integrated resort A casino hotel is an establishment consisting of a casino with temporary lodging provided in an on-premises hotel. Customers receive the benefits of both gambling facilities and lodging. Since the casino and hotel are located on the same premis ...

and casino facility on Kawit Point (formerly Kawit Island),

South Road Properties The South Road Properties (SRP), also known as the South Reclamation Project, is a land reclamation, reclamation area in Cebu City, Philippines. The area, which is reclaimed from Mactan Channel, is located off the coast of the Cebu City's 2nd ...

(SRP),

Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making ...

, Philippines. The project, which includes restaurants, bars, a mall, convention center, casino, park, theater, and at least three hotels, is a joint venture of the Cebu City Government and Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc. The project opened partially in 2022.

History

Development

In a press conference on November 7, 2017,

Tomas Osmeña Tomas "Tommy" de la Rama Osmeña (; born July 26, 1948) is a Filipino politician who was recently elected as the Vice Mayor of Cebu City in 2025 elections. He previously served as Mayor from 1987 to 1995, 2001 to 2010, and 2016 to 2019. He als ...

, then the

mayor of Cebu City The ''Mayor of Cebu City'' () is the chief executive of the government of Cebu City in the Philippines. The mayor leads the city's departments in executing ordinances and delivering public services. The mayorship is a three-year term and each ma ...

, announced that Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc. (UHRI), a subsidiary of

JG Summit Holdings JG Summit Holdings, Inc. (JGSHI) is one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines with business interests in air transportation, banking, food manufacturing, hotels, petrochemicals, power generation, publishing, real estate and property ...

, had agreed to develop Kawit Point (formerly Kawit Island) in

into an integrated resort and casino facility. UHRI would lease the property for 50 years and the city would receive 60% of the annual gross receipts. Osmeña said the project could generate 8,000 jobs and increase the appraisal rates for the lots in the area. Osmeña proposed the project be named Isla dela Victoria after former Cebu City Bantay Dagat project director Elpidio "Jojo" dela Victoria, who was murdered outside his home in the city of Talisay on April 12, 2006, for his role in the fight against

illegal fishing Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) is an issue around the world. Fishing industry observers believe IUU occurs in most fisheries, and accounts for up to 30% of total catches in some important fisheries. Illegal fishing takes pl ...

. A five-man committee was formed by

Cebu City Council The Cebu City Council (Filipino language, Filipino: Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Cebu) is the legislature of Cebu City, Philippines. The legislative body is composed of 18 councilors, with 16 councilors elected from Cebu City's two Legislative dis ...

to scrutinize the deal's financial, technical, and legal aspects. A

joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acce ...

agreement was signed on August 17, 2018 by Mayor Osmeña and UHRI president Frederick Go.

Construction

The project formally broke ground eight days later, on August 25, 2018. Civil works commenced on the first quarter of 2019. The project would be opened as the Nustar Resort and Casino in May 2022. The Fili Hotel's convention center had its soft opening in April 2022. The Villas of five-star Fili Hotel has outdoor infinity pool, private office, powder room, sauna, gym, and view deck. Chef Martin Rebolledo Jr. and Rolando Macatangay are its executive and pastry chefs, respectively. The Villas has a prime P700,000-a-night suite, among others, awaiting the upcoming six-star Nustar Hotel. Nustar, as a destination includes Nustar Mall, with its “Journey of Flavors,” local and international restaurants, casino and convention center On June 30, 2023, the NUSTAR Convention Center formally opened as the largest in Visayas and Mindanao. With capacity of 2,000 guests, it has 3 banquet halls, lobby, a pre-function foyer and hallway, open area and bridal lounges. Its 2,449 square meters interior has a 6 meters high ceiling. On May 8, 2025, The NUSTAR Hotel Cebu officially opened its doors, marking the start of a new era of luxury hospitality in Cebu. This ultra-luxury hotel, the first of its kind in the region, is part of the NUSTAR Resort & Casino. The grand opening was celebrated as a milestone, ushering in the resort's third anniversary.

References

Buildings and structures in Cebu City Casinos in Cebu City Landmarks in the Philippines Mixed-use developments in the Philippines Resorts in the Philippines Casino hotels in Cebu City {{DEFAULTSORT:Nustar Resort and Casino

History

Development

Construction

See also

References